


Adrift-Drabble and One-shot Collection

by princessdragonsun



Series: Adrift [1]
Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Attempted Kidnapping, Awkward Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Childishness, Drabble Collection, Dramatic Genesis Rhapsodos, Familial Love, Family Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Friendship, Gen, Genesis Rhapsodos Does What Genesis Rhapsodos Wants, Hair Braiding, Haircuts, Happy kid giggle fits, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Memory Loss, Injury Recovery, Near Death Experiences, Nicknames, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Possible Out of Character, Protectiveness, Sephiroth is even more out of the loop, Styling Hair With Genesis Rhapsodos, Teasing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tseng has a soft spot for children, Tseng has no clue what's going on, Vincent Valentine Is Sephiroth's Parent, Vincent gets along with his passengers better, Vincent has a soft spot for children, Vincent is Soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-02-18 10:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 8,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21509497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessdragonsun/pseuds/princessdragonsun
Summary: I got bored and decided to do a bit of self-indulgent writing. Each prompt used will be the titles of each chapter. In no particular order.A bit of context for the story.A child of around seven years of age stumbles into the ShinRa Mansion for shelter and falls through the floor into the basement. Vincent hears her cries, wakes up, and treats her wounds. The child refuses to leave him afterward, seeing as he was the only adult around. They eventually begin to travel together as monster hunters and cross paths with SOLDIER Second Class Genesis and Angeal. The child supposedly doesn't know a thing about ShinRa and supposedly believes them to be fellow monster hunters. And Vincent doesn't even bother explaining.
Relationships: Angeal Hewley & Original Character(s), Genesis Rhapsodos & Original Character(s), Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII) & Original Character(s), Tseng (Compilation of FFVII) & Original Character(s), Vincent Valentine & Genesis Rhapsodos & Angeal Hewley, Vincent Valentine & Original Child Character(s)
Series: Adrift [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550359
Comments: 21
Kudos: 35





	1. Red

A habit that Ella picked up only weeks after meeting Vincent, was hiding in his cape. She wasn’t used to being around a lot of people the way she was in the towns they stopped in. Of course, that wasn’t the only reason. She would also hide in it when she was cold, lonely, or any reason she needed comfort.

Ella couldn’t tell if Vincent was bothered by it at first, seeing as she had only just met him and he wasn’t the easiest person to read, to begin with. If he was, he never told her. 

Maybe it wasn’t the red cape that comforted her, but the person wearing it.


	2. Feathers

“Hey, Ella. What are you up to?”

The small brunette lifted a hand basket into view, full of lots of feathers. She beamed up at Angeal as he examined them.

”I’m collecting feathers so I can make my own wings! I wanna fly!”

”You’ll have quite... er... unique wings with feathers from so many birds.”

”I don’t care what my wings look like as long as I can use them!”

Angeal knew she would never actually be able to fly with those wings but decided not to crush the kid’s dreams just yet. Maybe he’d break it to her later.


	3. Angel's Wings

Ella came rushing up to the three warriors in a whirlwind of excitement, waving around a sheet of paper. Lifting the paper into view and finally stilling it revealed a novice drawing of Vincent, Angeal, and Genesis. The drawing depicted the former Turk in Chaos form and the two SOLDIERS with large, feathered wings.

Genesis inspected the artwork with interest, "A lovely drawing, my dear, but why do we look like that?"

"I was going to just draw you all normally but Angeal's name gave me inspiration! I think you'd look pretty with wings!"

"Ah... ha..."

Vincent was... very concerned...


	4. Please?

Ella pounced onto the hotel room couch next to Genesis, a book in hand, and pressed herself into his side. She ignored the way grumbled a little at being disturbed shoved the book into his hands.

"Can you read to me? Please, please, please?"

Genesis thought about it and glanced at the nine-year-old, "You could ask Angeal, you know."

"I could," she replied, drawing the last word out, "but you're more interesting to listen to."

"I am, am I?"

"Yes! So can you read to me?"

"Mmm. I suppose. What book is it?"

"The one about the hero!"


	5. Borrowed

When Angeal reached for his Buster sword one morning and found only empty air, he, of course, panicked a little. It was an _heirloom_ and _missing_. He entered the living space of the hotel room their group had rented and saw Vincent and Genesis silently helping each other prepare the kitchen for breakfast.

"Have either of you seen my sword?"

Genesis raised an eyebrow, "It's missing?"

"Yeah-"

Vincent's stare directed behind Angeal had the latter turning his head. A tiny, fragile-looking Ella was _somehow dragging the large sword into the room_.

She shifted uncomfortably, "Sorry. I wanted to play."


	6. Vampire

"Are you a vampire?"

Vincent turned his red eyes down at the child that had been following him around ever since his wakening. The question was asked so innocently, out of pure curiosity, it had him pausing. 

_Is she serious? Would she really still be following me if she believed I was a vampire?_

He stared blankly at her, "No."

It was a simple, blunt answer yet it had her smiling widely. Vincent was still trying to figure the girl out. She wasn't afraid of him in the slightest and didn't seem bothered by much. He wondered who she was...


	7. Role Model

Vincent hardly believed himself to be a good role model yet that didn't seem to stop the odd seven-year-old from trying to be like him. Sans the guns. She got twitchy around them. It wasn't just the big things she tried to copy, it was the little things too. Like the way he put on a shirt before bed. Or little gestures. He even caught her attempting to match his walk.

The kid couldn't be intimidating even if her life depended on it. But she still tried, especially when strangers started cooing at her. She flustered too easily.


	8. Roommates

Vincent was ill-prepared to deal with rooming with a child. He wasn't ready for the sudden dependence she had on him. Sure, she didn't ask for anything but he could tell without her saying anything, that she needed or wanted something. Ella was afraid of the dark and refused to sleep alone. She tried to on their first few nights but she would always end up crying and would try to sleep on the floor next to his bed because she didn't want to ask to share. After nights of that, he eventually got used to sharing his bed.


	9. Weird

Ella was a weird kid. Everyone she met knew this. She was smarter than average, anti-social, for the most part, and she said the _strangest_ things. She'd _do_ even stranger things. Like when she wandered off sometimes when they reached a town or city they hadn't been to before. She'd disappear for hours sometimes and when asked why she wouldn't respond and seemed confused about it herself.

Whenever Genesis and Angeal came to visit, she'd poke at their shoulder blades when she hugged them but didn't whenever she hugged Vincent. No one knew how or why she did things.


	10. Safe

Ella didn't have much experience with strangers. Vincent was quite popular amongst the monster hunters around the Eastern and Western Continents, so she had grown familiar with the ones they worked with often. Some tried to dote on her or keep her away from the fighting but she ignored them all. She'd never listened to Vincent when he tried to keep her away either. She had simply grabbed the nearest sharp thing and followed after him. He eventually just gave up and decided that if she was going to follow anyway, he'd make sure she was safe while doing so. She picked up on how to use materia easily enough and the same went for knives.

The child never used her newly acquired weapons on humans or normal wildlife. That, at least, Vincent took comfort in. It relieved him that she was innocent enough that it never crossed her mind. Unfortunately, that also meant she was completely unaware that _other_ people did. Luckily, she never went anywhere without him, practically glued to his side. So any hostility from humans would be highly discouraged. Not everyone was like Ella. People were intimidated by him unlike her. 

Now, at eleven-years-old, Vincent decided she was ready to venture back to the inn they were staying at by herself while he sold what they managed to haul in. He knew how bored she got waiting on him. She'd hesitated when he told her she could go but after a bit of thinking, she finally wandered away. He thought she'd be fine, was confident she knew her way around enough to find her way back. 

That was... until she screamed.

It was a brief one, small even. But Vincent's enhanced senses picked up on it and he was running before his mind caught up with him. The being he shared a body with was raging, screaming to be allowed control. He blocked it out in favor of diverting all his focus into finding his kid.

Genesis and Angeal had a mission together after a while of solos. Simple monster extermination near Kalm. They would kill the beasts and spend the night at Kalm, then head back the next day. They had hardly been in Kalm for five minutes when they'd heard a familiar scream. But it wasn't the one they were used to. It wasn't one of playfulness, but one of fear.

Genesis was the first one to react, running in the direction of the sound. He turned down an alley and saw a man who was _not_ Vincent, covering Ella's mouth and keeping her arms pinned to her side. The girl had tears streaming down her face, terror in her eyes. Genesis saw red. He rushed the man while he still had the element of surprise, barreling into him from the side. The impact had him releasing the child and the SOLDIER used his quick reflexes to catch her before she fell with the unenhanced man. That's when Angeal arrived and took in the situation. He quickly pinned the would-be kidnapper before he could recover and turned to Genesis.

"Get her out of here. I'll handle him."

Normally, Genesis would have protested seeing as the man had tried hurt someone he cared about, therefore making it personal. But seeing as he had said person clinging to him, trembling and crying, he would have to make an exception. He needed to find Vincent.

Lifting Ella into his arms, he made his way toward the inn. He hoped that Vincent was actually in town and not out hunting. It took less than a minute to find the man seeing as he was also looking for Ella. He must have heard her himself or realized she wasn't with him but had been farther away. 

"I suppose we're all lucky Angeal and I happened to be right around the corner," Genesis said as Vincent approached them.

The dark-haired man's hands moved to take Ella and the SOLDIER passed her on, the child clinging to Vincent's red cloak the second she realized he was there. She was still shaken and unnervingly silent. Vincent checked her in a glance, likely searching for any injuries, but found none. 

"Thank you."

Genesis nodded, his usual theatrics absent in the serious situation, "We should get her inside."

Vincent was sitting beside Ella, trying to think of the best way to approach the subject. He wanted her to talk to him but she seemed bent on ignoring what had nearly happened. She remained silent and refused to look at him or Genesis, tightly gripping the mug of tea in her hands. She had yet to even take a sip and the steam was starting fade, indicating that it was getting cold. 

Vincent could hear the sounds of Angeal's footsteps well before he entered the room. The young man looked disturbed. Genesis walked over to the tiny kitchenette connected the living space to make some more tea for his friend while he checked on Ella himself. She didn't acknowledge his presence any more than she had the others. Disappointing, but not unexpected. 

Sighing, Angeal set his blade aside and took a seat beside Vincent as Genesis returned. He handed the mug off and returned to staring at the pre-teen. 

"Ella, talk to us," he said firmly, finally having enough the silent treatment they were getting.

"..."

The red-head huffed briefly in annoyance, prompting a small flinch out of her. A negative reaction, but a reaction nonetheless. Angeal moved from his seat and placed his hands over Ella's which tightened even further around her mug.

"...Right before Gen showed up... the guy said there would be others... What-" she broke off as her voice cracked, "What if it happens again...?"

Vincent took the chance to speak up, "Then we make sure you're not alone. We'll protect you."

Genesis nodded his agreement, " _My friend, the fates are cruel_... If anyone dares try again, all you need do is let us know and we'll handle them. _My soul, corrupted by vengeance..._ "

"LOVELESS, Act IV," Angeal hummed, "You'll be safe with us."

All Vincent knew was that it would be a while before he let her out of sight when they weren't with friends or in a safe place.


	11. Knight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is likely to be crap. I was just writing for the sake of writing here.

Vincent almost couldn't believe it had been almost a year since he and Ella first crossed paths with Genesis and Angeal. The SOLDIER pair had this uncanny ability to just... show up... at the most random of times. At first, it was likely just coincidence and recognition upon sight but now he had the suspicion they were _looking_ for them now, no matter how much they played it off as the former. Ella always welcomed them with open arms and wide smiles that were almost always reserved for himself. It was strange how she took to their presence so much better than anyone else. It didn't make _sense_. It seemed like such a one-time thing that he almost wrote it off as another oddity of hers. Or maybe she _knew_ what they were despite the odds being against it and, in a very child-like fashion, believed they were like fairy-tales come to life. It wasn't like she questioned odd things like glowing eyes or enhanced senses. But maybe that one was on Vincent seeing as he had both of those and he _was_ her normal.

Genesis still as temperamental as ever and Ella rarely took his little fits personally. It was probably the fact that she still considered him her friend and continued to put up with him that kept the teen from abandoning them, to begin with. Angeal was likely dragging him along beforehand seeing as he got along with Vincent and Ella swimmingly. Vincent especially, seeing as they usually bonded over being the only reasonable ones of their friends. 

Ella also liked to act out adventure stories that Vincent read to her, all but forcing Genesis to play with her as the hero. Usually, Angeal ended up as the villain but she'd switch her roles with him sometimes because she "didn't want him to be a bad guy all the time". Of course, then he ended up as either a warrior princess or some other strong female character that Ella got attached to seeing as she liked being right up there in the action. Genesis would then cackle and tease his friend endlessly. He warmed up to playing with her pretty quickly after that. Not only did it provide tons of teasing and blackmail material, but it also put him in the position of the hero, a role he thoroughly enjoyed.

Not to mention, the adventure stories were likely for an older audience than an innocent nine-year-old but she enjoyed them far more than the books on "useless princesses locked away in a tower by an evil dragon and saved by handsome princes". Vincent was smart enough to tone down the books he read, of course. She was far too sensitive to some things for her to be okay with some of the content. The former Turk tried to get her into other things that she could read on her own but not much seemed to interest her. Fairies and rescued princesses and evil dragons never appealed. Nothing particularly girly, for that matter. She loved the stories that took place during war, stories that were more realistic but still had happy endings and heroes and villains, ever the naive child. 

Ella seemed to think Genesis fit the role as the Dark Mage, Leonhart the most and, oftentimes, she'd play as the Dark Mage's bubbly younger sister, Lacey while Angeal played as the evil king Iago. Vincent would simply watch as they entertained each other, running about and pretending to fight monsters. Perhaps those reenactments encouraged Ella's fascination with weapons of almost any kind. She respected them, yes, but got a little too casual around them for his liking. Like when she tried to, ahem, _borrow_ Genesis and Angeal's broadswords. They'd caught her before she could and she received a scolding from Vincent and Genesis plus a lecture from Angeal. That deterred her from trying again, at least.

One day, Vincent exposed her to another story a bit different than the others and, if she felt like it, she could read it on her own. It was about a man who came from a backwater town and was pulled into a journey to stop a corrupt king who'd taken his friends and planned to destroy the world. The king's kind-hearted daughter joined the man in his quest and he became her personal knight. A pretty basic story but it still captured Ella's attention none-the-less and eventually became her favorite book.

Of course, he'd then unintentionally set the events where Genesis gave the girl her nickname. The teen got so used to calling her 'princess' while they played that it started slipping out during normal conversations. And not long after, he began declaring that he was her knight. Vincent... almost regretted his decision. 


	12. Trust

When Vincent first met the two newly-minted SOLDIER Seconds, he was suspicious. He had hoped to avoid ShinRa as a whole but in hindsight, that was wishful thinking. These kids were hard proof of that. Ella wasn't at all bothered by them, though, and dragged them into playing with her on their way to finding their prey. Genesis had been huffy about it at first but relaxed into his role as the hero fairly quick.

Vincent still didn't trust them by the time they parted but several more meetings with the pair had him getting used to their presence.


	13. Cooking/Baking

Ella could cook... in theory. She could bake things, so, really, it couldn't be all that difficult. As it turned out, no, she could not cook. Not really. She could boil water, and make pasta, and rice. But that was just about it. The only way she could cook something was if she had adult supervision so said adult could tell her if she was doing it right. She panicked otherwise.

"Am I doing this right?" she asked, looking up at Angeal.

"Yep. Just keep an eye on it. It changes color once it is cooked all the way through."


	14. Late Nights

Even long after Ella had started sleeping on her own, she still found it difficult some nights. Vincent was usually awake a while after she went to sleep so she’d find him relaxing either on the couch or by the window of one of their hotel rooms. Most often, no words passed between them and they would simply sit in each other’s company until Ella grew drowsy. When she finally dozed off, Vincent would then carry her back to bed. Sometimes she'd be half-awake and that's when things tended to get weird.

"Are the ducks asleep, Kuwa?"

"Yes, Ella."


	15. It Was An Accident!

Ella was new to materia usage. She didn't know what to expect when she started learning to use it and Vincent wasn't expecting her to have such a natural affinity for it. Vincent had given her a newly formed Lightning Materia to practice with. The small brunette had been buzzing with energy before and almost as soon as she was given the glowing orb, she'd unintentionally set off a small Bolt spell. It nearly hit Vincent but he managed a clean dodge. Of course, the static electricity in the air had their hair a mess.

"Sorry! It was an accident!"


	16. Nicknames

Vincent had been the first to notice Ella's lack of addressing him with his name. She just spoke whatever was on her mind, never said his name to get his attention. When he asked about it, she'd gotten fidgety and admitted it was an odd paranoid habit, never calling someone by their name as though it were forbidden. So, Vincent decided on a compromise. They discussed a nickname she could call him that had nothing to do with his actual name. She eventually decided on a word from a language that lingered in the far reaches of her memory. Kuwa. 


	17. Take My Hand

When it happened, it took a second for Vincent to realize what was going on. Almost a second too late. Routine as the mission was, Ella was still getting used to fighting the level of monsters they were facing. And the location had been precarious at best, at the top of a cliff. A Hellhound managed to get past the girl's guard and pushed her far too close the edge. Tripping over a rock had her stumbling off. Vincent shot the beast just in time to grab her before she fell too far. They stayed away from cliffs after that.


	18. I'm Here

It was one of those days. Ella was a clingy kid on a normal day, but she got extra clingy when she felt the empty space that was where her memories from before she and Vincent met more keenly. She got lethargic and would rarely leave his side as if he would abandon her if she strayed too far. He was the only person she had, the only person she ever _remembered_ caring for so deeply. Vincent wasn't a psychologist, but he knew that having no significant figure in her life at such a young age would affect her mentally.


	19. Haircut

Training with Genesis was always a highlight of the warriors' visits for Ella. While Angeal taught her hand-to-hand, Genesis, with the help of Vincent, taught her how to use materia and lighter swords more akin to her size. She had always been rather lacking in height, a measly 5'2. If she was feeling brave, she would insist on adding a point-five to that. Despite her misgivings about her height, Genesis assured her that she could use it to her advantage. 

"Always try to land the first hit. You may be smaller than a lot of people, but you're also lighter, faster. Use that to your advantage. When you can, go for the knees of your opponent. Because you're smaller, you're closer to their legs. Speed is another thing you have more of so can weave in and out of your opponent's guard and you'd be better at dodging. Your personal weakness is your defense. I suggest training in that area."

Ella adored learning. She absorbed information like a sponge to water and her friends happened to be a wealth of information like that. 

After sparring for a while, they took a break and joined Angeal and Vincent who had been watching. Ella collapsed on the ground dramatically in front of Vincent, leaning her head back against his legs. Angeal leaned down and ruffled her hair, amusement clear on his face. 

"You did well out there. You're really improving."

Ella hummed in response, too tired to do much else. She noticed Genesis observing her out of the corner of her eye and turned to meet his eyes. She gave him a questioning look.

"Have you ever considered cutting your hair?" he asked, moving to grab a few stray strands that had fallen out of her bun during the spar.

"Not really, no," she replied, suppressing a shudder from her hair being touched even as he pulled away.

"You would be even lighter if you did. Your hair is very long and it's weighing you down. It can also get in the way if you don't have the time to pull it up properly. Not to mention, it can get caught in things and it's flammable. It's a miracle you've survived as long as you have in the conditions you live in. I'm rather surprised Vincent hasn't done something about it."

The former Turk tilted his chin down slightly at the comment, "I didn't think of it."

"It's true that you have long hair, as well. And a cloak. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. The apple doesn't fall from the tree."

Angeal nodded in agreement, "Practical uses aside, I think you'd look cute with short hair," he snorted, "Maybe we should convince Sephiroth to do the same. He may very well be the strongest person out there, but he's still human. He could benefit from it as well."

Genesis barked a laugh, choosing to ignore the comment about the other man's strength, "Imagine _Sephiroth_ with short hair. Personally, I can't see him ever actually cutting it."

Ella let a smile tug at her lips as she listened to the two but her mind began to drift. They were right, cutting it was the best course of action. Her hair didn't _feel_ heavy exactly, not unless it was wet. But she supposed that was because she was used to it. Of course, if she did decide to do it, she'd need assistance.

"I, um... would like to cut my hair. But I'll need help."

Genesis perked up at that, "I would be happy to be of assistance, princess. If you go ahead and shower, we can play around with your hair once it dries."

"I guess, I'll get started on lunch in the meantime," Angeal said.

Genesis guided Ella to a chair he'd set up in the middle of the common room. Trapped beneath the chair was newspaper, spread out to catch the hair to make it easier to clean up. Sitting her down, he draped a towel around her shoulders letting his hands rest there for a minute.

"Any particular style you want? Pixie? A bob? Layers?"

Ella furrowed her brow, nervousness sealing her mouth shut. She automatically tried to shrug but the weight on her shoulders had her aborting the action. She forced her lips apart.

"Um, I don't know... I've never gotten my hair cut before."

"And it shows," Genesis murmured as he pulled her hair back, running his fingers through her long hair, "I'll surprise you, then."

It was weird not having long hair anymore. She definitely felt lighter. She combed her fingers through her hair, still unnerved. It was new, different... but nice. Genesis observed her with a critical eye, a smile creeping onto his face. 

"A bob suits you. Your natural waves really complete the look."

She timidly peeked up at him through her bangs, a light blush dusting her cheeks, "It feels weird..."

"Well, I wouldn't expect you to adjust so quickly after having hair at that length for so long. It'll be easier to care for, at least. Come, let's go show Angeal and Vincent."


	20. A Special Gift

“Kuwa!”

Ella ran up to him, her hands hiding something behind her back. The man blinked down at her. Before he could respond to her, words were already pouring out of her mouth at light speed.

”I have a surprise for you! Close your eyes!”

Playing along, Vincent closed his eyes. He felt Ella grab his flesh hand and place something small and metallic on his palm. She let go of his hand and stepped back.

"Open!" she ordered, clapping her hands.

Blinking his eyes open, he found a pendant resting delicately in his hand.

"It's for your gun, Kuwa!"


	21. Early Hours

Vincent was always the first one awake in the morning. Up at the crack of dawn. He would enjoy the silence while it lasted before preparing coffee for Genesis and tea for Ella. The girl seemed to enjoy dragging the SOLDIER out of bed when he normally would have been the last to wake up. Genesis never appreciated that and was often grouchy because of it. He and Vincent would then start getting the kitchenette ready for Angeal to make breakfast while Ella made herself comfortable on the sofa and watched cartoons.

When Angeal woke up, he went straight to work in the kitchenette, cooking up a healthy breakfast. Ella would talk their ears off while they ate which usually resulted in her finishing last. Her early morning energy would peter off quickly once she ate and she'd settle on the sofa again to take a nap. The SOLDIERS left around that time to train while Vincent did whatever he pleased until it was time to hunt.


	22. Piggy-back Ride

Genesis had been reluctant to leave the inn for a stroll but Ella was insistent. Vincent and Angeal were out tracking the monsters. Once they found a lead, they would report back and they'd head out together to hunt them down. But Ella grew restless the longer they were gone.

She skipped along the trail in front of Genesis. Then she abruptly stopped and hunched over. Genesis snapped to attention and moved to steady her.

"Ella! Are you okay?"

"'M fine... Just dizzy..."

Shaking his head, Genesis turned his back to her, "Get on. I'll give you a ride back."


	23. Nightmare

Vincent was startled when Ella had crawled onto the bed next to him. Sniffles and whimpers caught his attention.

”Ella.”

She didn’t answer and curled into his side. Her position looked awfully uncomfortable but she didn't seem like she was planning on moving anytime soon. Taking the initiative, Vincent pulled her closer and adjusted her to make her more comfortable. She latched onto him and the trembles in her body became worse.

"Nightmare?"

A barely perceptible nod was all he needed. He knew of her gory nightmares but she never cried for those.

"T-They died... They a-all died, Kuwa..."

He never got an explanation for those chilling words.


	24. Sunshine

Ella took in a deep breath, taking in the scent of freshly fallen rain and the warm evening sun. Angeal chuckled behind her as Genesis and Vincent found their way outside as well.

"Someone's enjoying the weather."

"I love it when it rains! The world feels so fresh like all the nastiness has just been washed away!"

Genesis smirked, "How poetic."

Ella giggled and skipped around, observing the sky. Genesis hummed in thought before turning to the two dark-haired men.

"I wonder if she'll still believe that when she hears that mosquitoes lay their eggs in water."

"Whaaat?! Gross!"


	25. That Looks Like It Hurts

Genesis almost pitied her. Almost. The reason he didn't... well, he'd warned her and she didn't listen. Which led to the situation they were in. Ella grimaced, holding back a yelp as Angeal pulled out another sandbur. Vincent watched from the corner of the room, silent as ever. Genesis didn't think he held much pity for her either. There was probably a lesson in there somewhere.

"Ow!"

"Sorry, El."

Genesis rolled his eyes, "That looks like it hurts. I told you not to run around barefoot. But did you listen to a word I said?"

She pouted, "You're right... Sorry."


	26. Laugh

It wasn't often that Ella had giggle fits. She laughed plenty but in small bursts. This was different. There didn't seem to really be a reason she was laughing. Vincent, however, couldn't help the smile making its way on his. Her happiness was contagious.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I don't know..." she said through her giggles, "I don't know why I'm laughing!"

Ah. Just a pure, innocent, happy giggle fit then. Her giggling eventually petered off after a few minutes but even long after she went silent, the sound of her childish laughter was still ringing in his mind clearly.


	27. Villain

"So, whose turn is it to play the villain?" Angeal asked conversationally.

Ella hummed to herself as she glanced between them. Her eyes landed on Vincent who seemed completely engrossed in his task of preparing dinner. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips and she walked over to him.

"Kuwa can be the villain this time!"

Vincent blinked once and turned to stare at her. She beamed back. Genesis snorted in amusement as he tried to hold back his laughter before letting out a few short chuckles. Angeal seemed rather enthusiastic about the suggestion.

"...If you insist."

If possible, Ella's smile widened and bounced in place excitedly, "Yes!"


	28. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit longer than I was expecting. Hope you like it!

Genesis had hoped to never be faced with a situation like Ella's attempted kidnapping again. _Ever_. Unfortunately... luck was not on her side. Instead of the one that had gotten the jump on her like any old thug, there were several, obviously trained, mercenaries chasing her when she was soaked and cold and injured. At night. In the middle of a storm. The heart-stopping thing was... if Genesis hadn't been in a bad mood and needed to take some time to himself outdoors... he never would have known. 

Ella had collapsed by the time he'd reached her and fallen unconscious when he'd finished dispatching her pursuers. Worryingly, Vincent was nowhere to be found. Genesis couldn't hear or see any indication anyone but the two of them were out there. Of course, Vincent was a master at stealth but he wouldn't hide from him or Ella nor would he leave her alone like that.

Genesis probably almost gave Angeal a heart attack when he returned with their bloody and soaked fourteen-year-old friend. Either way, the two set to work getting her cleaned, dried, and her wounds tended to. With Ella injured and unconscious, Vincent absent, and the two SOLDIERS scheduled to leave the following morning, they were at a loss for what to do.

Angeal perched on the edge of the sofa and pressed the back of his hand against Ella's forehead, grimacing at the fever, "We can't just bring her back with us."

"We could put in for leave? Or ask for the mission time to be extended? We could say we encountered some unexpected difficulty. We wouldn't be lying."

"Yeah, but then we'd have to include that unexpected difficulty in our report."

Genesis faltered for a second as he thought about it, "...Cross that bridge when we get to it...?"

Angeal heaved a sigh and stood up to put a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Go get some rest. I'll look after her for a while."

" _Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return_."

" _Goodnight_ , Genesis."

When Ella woke up, it was to a familiar sound. She could feel someone sitting beside her and citing LOVELESS. There was also the sound of Angeal's voice in the background, talking on the phone she'd guessed. It wasn't unusual for her to wake up in such a situation but she didn't remember Genesis and Angeal visiting recently. Maybe it'd been a surprise visit? And had she fallen asleep on the sofa again? But wouldn't Vincent have carried her to bed?

Swallowing, she sucked in a breath through her teeth at the throbbing, scratching pain. How did she get so sick overnight? Not to mention that her whole body felt like one giant bruise and something was definitely wrong with her left shoulder. Surely, she would have noticed something was wrong before falling asleep? But... she didn't remember falling asleep. Actually, she wasn't sure what she remembered doing last.

Genesis shifted beside her at the sound of her stirring and murmured quietly as he rested a hand on her forehead. She forced her eyes open, though even that proved difficult, made even harder due to being crusty from sleep. With Genesis hovering over her, Angeal pacing not far from them, and Vincent nowhere to be seen, she realized something was definitely wrong. It triggered an onslaught of memories from...

 _Oh_. _The river._ Genesis had been the one to take care of her pursuers. She still didn't know how they managed to track her after she'd fallen into the river. It was a rough ride and she was lucky to be alive. But _what happened to Vincent_? The jerks had attempted to separate her from the man in the middle of a fight with a behemoth. Not exactly smart. Especially when she'd ended up a victim of a river's strong current and all the dangers that came with it. It was no wonder she was sick if she breathed in or swallowed dirty river water.

Angeal took note that she was conscious and quickly finished his conversation before hanging up. In the time that her hazy mind had been focused on the eldest, Genesis had picked up a glass of water and held up to her face, startling her. It took Ella a few seconds to process what was happening and her body sluggishly reacted to accept the offered water. She grimaced when the scratchy feeling in her throat was aggravated further by the drink. It wasn't something she was used to seeing as she only got sick every once in a while. Vincent once speculated that she'd been sick a lot when she was really young.

"I bought some cold medicine earlier. Can't say it'll taste very good," Angeal said, sorting said medicine out, "Is there anything in particular that usually helps?"

"Blu-" her voice cut out and she took a deep breath before starting again, "Blueberry aloe tea. For my throat."

Angeal nodded and finished measuring the liquid medicine. He handed it over carefully. Not wanting to waste time fretting over the flavor and smell, Ella swiftly downed the contents before the taste could register fully. It was disgusting, as expected.

"I know this probably isn't the best of times to ask, but do you think you're able to explain what happened?" Genesis asked.

Ella really didn't feel like explaining, especially with a sore throat. All she wanted to do was take a shower and go back to sleep.

"Kuwa noticed there were people trailing us but he didn't really get the chance to do much about it because we stumbled on a behemoth. They got the jump on us in the heat of battle and separated us. I got backed into a river. I don't know how far I was taken before I managed to get out and I _definitely_ don't know how they tracked me that far."

Genesis took a few deep breaths and pinched the bridge of his nose, "You are a trouble magnet, obviously."

Angeal crossed his arms in thought, "I don't want to assume this is connected but the last time this happened, your attacker said there would be more, yes?" When Ella gave a small nod, Angeal frowned, "I was hoping that I misremembered."

The red-head snorted, "Don't we all. Still, I think we ought to look into this. No need for this to happen a _third_ time."

Ella hummed in agreement and attempted to stand, "I need a shower."

"Just be careful not to move that arm too much, okay? We may have used a Cure but it needs the chance to heal," Angeal warned, "We'll see if we can get into contact with Vincent."

"Mmhm."

Once the teen had the shower going, Genesis turned his attention to his friend, "How did the call go?"

Angeal sat down on the couch next to him, "We've got a couple of days before we need to be back. There'll probably be questions though. I notified Sephiroth we'd be back a bit late, too," it was quiet for a few seconds before Angeal spoke again, "We should introduce them one day. They could both use another friend and because Ella hasn't been exposed to ShinRa, she won't know anything other than what we've told her about Sephiroth."

It wasn't a bad suggestion. Sephiroth was a loner, for the most part, and Ella was never around kids her age, though Sephiroth was far more mature. She was what? A year or so younger than Sephiroth? Maybe? Genesis wasn't actually sure how old she was. It hadn't really come up. It hadn't really mattered. But perhaps the two would be good for each other.


	29. The New Guy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place directly after the last chapter.

Angeal had not been expecting the knock on their door. It was far too soon for it to be Vincent. The man had only answered his numerous calls on the second day of Ella being there, too busy searching for her to be concerned with his PHS. After being assured of his pseudo daughter's safety, he promised to be by to pick her up within the next two days. As far as Angeal was aware, Genesis hadn't ordered anything. Judging by the way Genesis looked up from where he was reading to Ella, he wasn't expecting anyone either.

When he answered the door, he hadn't been expecting to see Tseng on the other side. And, oh boy... they were in trouble, weren't they? 

"Tseng. What are you doing here?" Angeal asked casually and he heard Genesis get up behind him.

"As I understood it, you were having issues with your mission," came the neutral reply.

Angeal resisted the urge to run a hand down his face. He'd been far too vague and with his abrupt end to the call when Ella woke up probably hadn't done them any favors. Quiet complaints from Ella broke the short awkward silence. She apparently didn't like the sudden loss of her distraction. Poor thing had been miserable the whole time. Her fever broke only recently but a new problem had cropped up in the form of an upset stomach. She hadn't thrown up but the nausea was still present.

Tseng's gaze shifted to look inside where Genesis returned to sit next to their friend, "The complication, I presume."

Angeal heaved a sigh and stepped aside to let the Turk in, "Might as well come inside then."

Genesis had returned to reading, this time with Ella draped on his lap to prevent him from getting up again. Angeal gently patted her head and sat down at the other end of the sofa. Tseng took the chair across from them and stared at the sick teen. It didn't take long for Genesis's voice to lull her to sleep and he stopped once he was sure she wouldn't wake.

"This is the one you've been protecting," Angeal cringed at Tseng's deduction, "Yes, we've noticed your frequent absences."

"Well, shhhh..." Genesis trailed off, old habits kicking in before he swore with Ella present, asleep or not.

The two SOLDIERS weren't entirely aware of Vincent and Ella's situation other than the fact that Vincent wanted to avoid ShinRa's eyes for as long as physically possible. And Ella was still oblivious after all those years. Vincent may have been protecting her in a way that went deeper than just not liking ShinRa. They'd never asked and Vincent never brought it up.

As if sensing their distress, the topic of their conversation woke up... somewhat, "When's dad gonna be here...?"

Genesis stroked her hair soothingly, "Sometime this evening. Go back to sleep."

It only took a few seconds before she was out again. Angeal and Genesis breathed silent sighs of relief.

"...It would seem that you were waylaid by another nest of monsters than was expected."

Genesis lifted a brow at Tseng who remained neutral as he stood, "...You're... helping?"

"Turning a blind eye," Tseng corrected as he left.

Once the Turk was gone, Angeal sighed, "That was... unexpected." 

Genesis hummed in agreement then asked, "Who's going to tell Vincent Ella called him 'dad'?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tseng will be returning.  
> I honestly have no experience writing him so this is where most of the OOC will be centered.


	30. Chance Meeting

Sephiroth had taken a mission quite a distance from Midgar. He'd needed the break from both of his friends' nagging. It was exhausting. They kept bringing up how they planned to take him to visit a friend of theirs and how they hoped he'd be able to get along with her. How both he and their friend needed to connect with more people. First of all, you couldn't force a friendship. Second, he'd rather not go out of his way to meet her. He was satisfied with Angeal and Genesis as his only friends.

Had Sephiroth not been in public, he'd have pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to push back the oncoming headache. As it was, he was still several minutes away from the inn he'd rented a room at. He could stand to push through those last few minutes. That was until someone bumped into him from behind. A feminine voice squeaked out an apology as he turned to face her. The unexpected feeling of deja vu hit him hard, leaving his mind racing ahead to try and figure out why.

"Did I hurt you? Are you okay?"

Her voice dragged him out of his head enough to respond, "I am not harmed."

The brunette breathed a sigh of relief and kicked a bit at the ground, "I figured since you have mako eyes but I wanted to be sure."

Her appearance, her voice... Why was she so familiar to him? A picture perhaps? Had he met her on some other mission? None of those seemed right...

"Have we met before?"

The girl shrugged, her brows furrowing, "I dunno. Maybe. Feels like it."

Silence. Not one much for conversation, it seemed. He could relate.

"Ella!"

The girl, Ella, straightened and looked past him to the one who called to her. She shuffled awkwardly in that direction.

"I um... My dad is calling. Um... bye!"

He watched as she scurried off to a man in a red cloak. Turning away before the man could catch him staring, Sephiroth continued on his way to the inn. He was unlikely to ever see the girl again so he pushed the feelings of deja vu to the back of his mind.


	31. Cat

Vincent had been admittedly startled when he heard another living thing enter the room with Ella. Then he heard the purring. Sure enough, Ella came in with a cat cradled in her arms. A tuxedo cat by the look of it. The yellow bandana it wore implied that it belonged to someone.

"Look what I found!" she gushed as she nuzzled the cat, "Isn't he cute? I found him hanging around outside."

"You know he probably has a home," Vincent told her gently.

Pouting, the ten-year-old replied, "I know. He's loved lots and lots."

The cat let out a short meow and Ella stroked the top of his head, nodding along as though she understood him.

"Do you know where his owner is?"

The girl hummed, "Hanging out with his friends. This little guy got bored."

"Well, why don't you return him to his owner and ask him if you can play with his cat?"

The cat meowed, this one a bit longer. Ella stroked him and he settled again. 

"Okay."

From then on, whenever they stopped by that town, Ella would always take some time to visit the cat she befriended.


	32. Braid

When Vincent taught Ella how to braid hair, he never expected her to become so enthralled by it. Any chance she got, she'd be braiding her hair or his. When Genesis and Angeal visited, they were dragged into sitting down so she could play with their hair. They were patient with her as she learned braiding techniques. Every time she braided Genesis's hair, he would kiss her forehead in thanks. 

Then Tseng came to check in, meeting Ella and Vincent properly for the first time. The first words out of Ella's mouth were asking if she could braid his hair.


	33. Chaos and Metamorphosis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is supposed to take place relatively early on. Maybe a few months after they met. The stuff leading up to this will very likely happen in the main fic.

The events leading up to Vincent's transformation were rather blurred for Ella. She couldn't bring herself to try to remember. All she knew was that she'd been reduced to a trembling mess, cradled in her guardian's arms. She was scared, but not of Vincent. She felt as if she'd seen far worse but couldn't pin down the memory the feeling stemmed from. Only having gotten a glance before Vincent pressed her face into his shoulder, she knew he had wings and his face looked different. He didn't let her see more than that. Ella would eventually ask her questions later.


	34. Materia(Magic) Lessons

"Where's your bracer?"

Ella pouted, scuffing her shoes in the dirt, "I don't like using bracers... It's easier without them..."

Genesis sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose but let it go. He pulled out a green materia that was not yet mastered and pressed it into her hand.

"I want you to tell me what kind of materia this is."

Ella rolled the materia in her hand, eyes squinting in concentration, "Um... Barrier."

"Good. Can you tell me what spells it has?"

"Barrier, MBarrier, and Reflect."

Genesis nodded, "Yes. Now, we're going to practice using those spells. Ready?"


	35. Dinner Table

Dinner with the four of them together was always a lively event. With Genesis's exaggerated tales of their exploits as SOLDIERs(edited versions), Angeal's amused but exasperated corrections, Ella's enthusiasm, and Vincent's sarcasm, how could it not? Food was passed around with friendly teasing and casual inquiries about plans for the next day. The two SOLDIERs would occasionally share stories about their other friend back at ShinRa. There were times when Ella was younger, that she would play with her food more than eat it. Angeal and Vincent always pushed for her to eat her vegetables, at the very least.


	36. Hugs

Vincent's hugs were gentle. A place to hide, a sanctuary when Ella wanted or needed one. Protection.

Angeal's hugs were warm and safe. His wider frame easily wrapped around her like a safety blanket.

Genesis's hugs were more casual gestures. A familiar presence when she felt lonely. A reminder she wasn't alone, usually accompanied by gentle kisses to her forehead.

Sephiroth's hugs were more awkward and rare, from one not very touchy-feely. But they were brotherly and a reassurance.

Hugs from Tseng were even rarer and always initiated by Ella herself. Most often given when they were by themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've reached the end! The main fic is currently being worked on. I don't know when I'm going to publish it though. 
> 
> And the artwork was done by my sister. I didn't really have much of a design in mind so I told her she could go crazy with it. In the picture, Ella is around ten-eleven-years-old.


End file.
